Strap ball



R. KLOEPF'ING STRAP BALL Filed Dec. 18, 1939,

|N VENTOR Patented Dec. 24, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 1 Claim.

This invention relates to devices for releasably connecting objectstogether, and particularly to the structure of generally spherical playballs for permitting attachment, to the balls, of leashes or othercord-like members.

It is an object of the invention to provide, in a play ball, a built-instirrup or bail, to which a cord or leash may be readily attached, whichpossesses adequate strength to effectively resist its forcibleseparation from the ball.

Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment device, forincorporation in the body of a ball, which lies wholly within theperiphery of the ball and therefore does not mar l the smooth continuityof the ball surface, nor project to interfere with true rolling of theball.

Other objects and features of advantage residing in the invention willbecome apparent as the detailed description hereunto annexed pro- 20ceeds. It is to be understood that the specific showing of structure inwhich my invention is incorporated is merely exemplary, and thatmodifications of the said structure may be utilized within the scope ofthe appended claim.

25 Referring to the drawing: I

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a ball showing the improvementsof my invention incorporated therein. Portions of the view are shown invertical section so as to more clearly so disclose the interiorconstruction and a portion of the view is broken away so as to shortenit and conserve space in the drawing.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the structure shown in Figure1; the plane in which 35 the view is taken being indicated by the line2-2 of the latter figure.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the stirrup insert.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the loop end 40 of a leash adapted tobe attached to the improved connectors with which the ball is fitted.

The ordinary large-size, inflatable, play or beach ball is devoid of anymeans permitting attachment thereto of a restraining leash or 45 cord.These balls, which are extensively used by small children while playingin shallow surf, often, if left unattended, are blown by the wind orcarried by surface currents into deeper water beyond the reach of theirsmall owners. As a 50 result the children, if they do not thoughtlesslywade out beyond a safe depth in efforts to reach the balls, annoy nearbyswimmers or occupants of boats with their repeated requests to retrievethe balls. Attempts have been made 55 to overcome this by securing ringsto the surface of the balls to which a piece of tape or cordmay beattached to serve as a leash in preventing the balls from floating awaybeyond a prescribed limit. These rings, or other attachment means whichproject beyond the periphery of the ball, are not satisfactory since,first, if the ball is thrown they are liable to strike and injure an eyeof the player and, secondly, the projection on the ball prevents truerolling thereof along a flat surface. I have overcome these objection-1o able features by providing simple concealed attachment means, forsecuring leashes or cords to the balls, which lie wholly within theperiphery of the ball and are therefore incapable of inflicting injuryor interfering with true rolling of the ball.

In detail, I have shown, in Figure 1, a conventional inflatable rubberball 6 having a wall I. In the wall 1, during the process of manufactureof the ball, is moulded a stirrup insert, shown in detail in Figure 8,comprising a bowlshaped sheet metal body 8 having a peripheral rim 9 andprovided with a plurality ofpreferablycircular perforations H. A stirrupor rod [2, extending transversely across and spaced medially of thedepth of the body 8, is secured, preferably by welding, at itsrespective ends to the inner convex surface of the body. This body ismolded into the wall of the ball so that athickened portion of the wallforms a sheath [3 entirely enclosing the body and extending through theperforations ll so as to unite the layers of rubber lying against theconvex and concave surfaces of the body. The stirrup l2 however is leftexposed so that when the molding is finished the stirrup will extenddiametrically across the shallow well M. It will be seen that a suitablecord or flexible tape 16 may be passed around the stirrup with the tiemember shown-in Figure 4. This member comprises a block I! ofsoft'rubber having therein a pair of spaced parallel slits l8. The tapeI6 is passed through one of these slits, around the stirrup to form theloop 19 and returned through the other slit I8. The friction of therubber against the tape, where the latter passes through the slits willprevent release of the loop l9 from the stirrup even though an abnormalpulling'stress is exerted on the tape 16.

In another section of Figure 1 I have shown a modified form ofconnector. There a thickened, preferably circular, patch insert 2| ismolded into the wall I of the ball having an arcuate groove 22 formedtherein, and a flap 23, which is an integral portion of the wall 1 andis adapted to be lifted outwardly from the periphery of the ball about ahinge defined by a chordal line intersecting the opposite ends of thearmate slit 24, overlies and closes the groove 22. A small portion ofthe arcuate edge of the flap 23 is cut away so as to form a recess 26which allows insertion of the finger of the user to raise the flap.Positioned in the groove 22 is a wire bail 21 having inturned endportions 28 which are seated in suitable recesses formed adjacent theends of the groove so that the bail is pivotally attached to the ball.By lifting the flap and grasping the bail 21, both may be swungoutwardly to exposed positions beyond the periphery of the ball, asshown by the dotted lines of Figure 2, to permit attachment of a cord orthe tape I6 to the bail. It will be seen that when the bail is released,the spring in therubber flap will force the bail back into the groove 22as the flap returns to its position flush with the periphery of theball.

Having thus described my invention in detail, what I claim as novel anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a. ball composed of moldable material, a bowl-shaped metal inserthaving dispersed perforations therein imbedded in said moldable materialwith quantities of the moldable material filling said perforations, saidimbedded metal insert having a concavity facing and exposed at theperiphery of said ball, and a metal rod secured at its opposite endswithin, extending transversely across, and spaced from th bottom of saidconcavity.

ROY KLOEPPING.

